Chocolate Pot de Creme: an Obsession Worth Every Calorie

Some recipes just beg to be made again, and be made again quickly. I made Rooibos Pots de Creme last week and they were so creamy, so decadent, that I had to make another batch. I’d be playing tennis or talking to friends, and suddenly all I could think about was sinking my spoon into another pot de creme. This time, to please my chocolate loving kids, I went a more traditional route, and made Chocolate Pots de Creme.

Of course, I’ll be telling them that it’s homemade Jello or they’ll refuse to try something that sounds suspiciously like poop.

Part of my sudden obsession with pots de creme has to do with how easy they are to make. I first tasted a pot de creme at a New York restaurant called the Green Monkey, on one of my first dates with my husband. It was served the same way I prepared these: in a cute little mug. As soon as I took a bite, I lost all interest in romance and started shoveling the rich chocolate custard in my mouth as fast as I could. I lost control, overcome by my love of chocolate. When I looked up guiltily, I saw that my future husband was also lost in ecstasy, eating his dessert with a gluttonous relish that matched mine. It’s possible that was the moment we realized we were meant for each other, but it’s definitely the moment that I fell in love with pots de creme.

I assumed that a dessert so good had to be a major pain to prepare. And that’s why I never tried to make pots de creme until a few weeks ago. Once I realized how easy the recipe was, my obsession was born. It’s the kind of recipe that you commit to memory after making it once. But you won’t make it just once. Just wait. You too will be running out to the supermarket after the kids go to sleep to grab another container of heavy cream to whip up just one more batch. One more. Just one more little batch.

Pour heavy cream into small saucepan. Break the chocolate into pieces and add to the heavy cream. Add the vanilla extract as well. Bring the cream to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to ensure the chocolate is melting. Take off the heat and continue stirring to melt the chocolate completely.

Beat yolks and sugar together until very pale yellow, almost white. Pour about a quarter of the strained and cooled cream into the beaten eggs. Now pour the egg/cream mixture into the rest of the cream and stir well.

Pour the mixture into 6 to 8 small ramekins or cups and place in a baking dish such as a Pyrex. Fill dish with water halfway up the side of dishes. Cover the pan with foil.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until center is slightly jiggly, just barely set.

Chill, if you can wait that long. I like to cheat and eat this warm. But it's equally delicious served with some crunchy wafers to scoop it out.

One Response to Chocolate Pot de Creme: an Obsession Worth Every Calorie

You had me at those photos, and then you got me again at the story of you and your then fiance (cute and hilarious at the same time) and then again at the simple ingredients involved in making this. I want to try and make this one myself. The name alone would make me feel all fancy like :).